Delivering renewable power from 2031
A pioneering project to electrify and decarbonise offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea, whilst in turn providing renewable power to the UK grid.
Set to be one of the world’s largest floating offshore wind farms, Cenos provides an opportunity to cement Scotland and the UK as a world leader in floating offshore wind.
What Cenos delivers:
-
A key role in supporting the UK Government targets for offshore wind power capacity, and specifically floating offshore wind
- Contributes to Scotland’s 2045 net zero target
- Ensures the North Sea Transition Deal can reduce offshore oil and gas sector emissions
- Catalysing a Scottish and UK supply chain for floating offshore wind
Up to
1350MW
capacity
Decarbonising
Oil & Gas
platforms
5.5TWh+
renewable power
annually to the UK grid
About the partners
Flotation Energy Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, sits at the heart of the energy transition and is determined to support the big switch to sustainable, clean and affordable energy through the application of innovative offshore wind technology
An ambitious offshore wind developer, Flotation Energy has a 13GW portfolio that covers both fixed and floating developments globally, with projects in the UK, Ireland, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Whilst Flotation Energy develops projects independently, it also recognises the strategic value of partnership and collaboration to deliver proven, cost-effective solutions.
Vårgrønn is an agile, Norway-based offshore wind company powering the energy transition through development, construction, operation, and ownership of offshore wind projects and related infrastructure. Vårgrønn is a joint venture between the energy company Plenitude (Eni) and the Norwegian energy entrepreneur and investor HitecVision.
Vårgrønn’s current pipeline of projects and prospective projects spans England, Scotland, Ireland and Norway in addition to early-stage initiatives in the Baltics. Vårgrønn holds a 20% share in Dogger Bank, the world’s largest windfarm under construction.
Project overview
The Cenos project
Up to 95
Floating Turbines
15-21MW
Turbines
area of
~ 333km²
The Cenos Offshore Windfarm will consist of up to 95 wind turbines, with each one providing 15-21MW of electrical power. The turbines will be floating as the water depths exceed 90m, which means bottom-fixed foundations are not an economically viable solution. The wind turbines will be installed on floating substructures connected by mooring lines to anchoring points in the seabed to hold their position. The turbines will be positioned across a carefully selected Cenos wind farm array area of ~ 333km².
Efficient grid connection
The power generated by the wind turbines will be Alternating Current (AC) and routed to a substation platform. AC power will be exported to the oil and gas platforms.
For efficient export to the UK grid, the substation platform will include a converter station to change the AC power to Direct Current (DC) before the power is transported to shore.
Cenos is working in partnership with the NorthConnect interconnector project, to utilise their DC cable routing within 12 NM. Cenos will also use the NorthConnect onshore converter station planned for Fourfields near Boddam, which then has an agreed link into the Peterhead Substation. This collaboration minimises the need to construct additional infrastructure for the Cenos project.
Reliable power
The windfarm will provide electrical power to selected Oil and Gas installations, with excess power being exported onshore via HVDC power cables to the UK Grid. When there isn’t sufficient wind to power the turbines, the HVDC link to the grid will ensure power supply to the Oil and Gas installations
Emissions cut, offshore and onshore
The availability of a reliable power supply to the Oil and Gas installations will allow onboard fossil fuel power generation to be retired, eliminating substantial quantities of CO2 emissions over the life of these installations.
Overall, the Cenos project is estimated to cut emissions up to two million tonnes of carbon each year [1] while supporting the commercialisation of floating offshore wind technology.
[1] Estimate based on CO2 reference values for the UK grid average (BEIS 2019), UK offshore power generation (Oil & Gas Authority (2020) UKCS Energy Integration Final Report Annex 1. Offshore electrification), and offshore wind (ClimateXChange (2015) Life cycle costs and carbon emissions of wind power).
The remaining power from the windfarm will be exported to the UK grid, providing approximately 5.5TWh per year of renewable power for UK homes and businesses.
Boosting UK energy security
After the decommissioning of the selected oil and gas platforms, the Cenos Offshore Windfarm will continue to operate, supplying 100% of its generated energy to the UK grid.
Planning and consent
The Scoping Report for the offshore components of the Cenos project was submitted to the Marine Directorate Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT) in the first quarter of 2024.
We are currently preparing an application for offshore consent, which will be supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report.
Ongoing consultations with other marine users, key stakeholders, and public engagement events will help shape the project and contribute to the consenting process.
A public consultation event is scheduled for 1st October 2024 at Peterhead Football Club. This event will engage both the general public and key stakeholders, providing valuable insights that will help shape the project and contribute to the consenting process.
Surveys
A range of studies and surveys will guide the project design and the licensing and consent application. Monthly aerial surveys, conducted from March 2021 to March 2023, gathered offshore bird and marine mammal data across the windfarm site.
In summer 2023, geophysical and camera surveys mapped the seabed within the windfarm array, and along the export cable route. Additional environmental assessments, completed in March 2024, further informed the project design and EIA . Vessel traffic surveys were completed in 2023, and a navigational risk assessment is ongoing.
Geotechnical and Metocean data surveys are planned for 2025/2026.
Timeline for the project:
Flotation Energy started conceptualising the Cenos project in 2020, born out of the team’s previous offshore oil and gas decarbonisation experience. In 2022, Vårgrønn joined as a partner for the project.
- In November 2022, Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn submitted a leasing application for Cenos under the INTOG Leasing Round.
- EIA Scoping Preparation, Geophysical and Environmental surveys
- EIA Scoping Report and HRA Screening submissions, leading to Scoping Opinion and EIA Report submission
- EIA consultation, Geotechnical surveys
- Consent Award; CFD Application and Award
- Construction
- First power from 2031
Building a world-leading Scottish supply chain
We are committed to the development of a local supply chain. We support a Just Transition for the UK energy sector workforce.
Delivering power from 2031, Cenos is helping to build a world-leading offshore wind supply chain in Scotland.
Cenos will enable early investments in local supply chains, positioning Scottish offshore wind suppliers to compete in future domestic projects, like ScotWind, as well as export to international projects.
Our project will help develop and secure long-term investment and job growth in Scotland. We have already started supply chain engagement in Scotland and will build on this substantially throughout 2024.
